Thanks to The Gleaner's Youthlink, roughly 350 students from high schools across the island have been exposed to crucial techniques and skills to help them successfully manoeuvre the May/June Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) math and English exams.
During a seminar hosted by Youthlink at The Mico University College, students were reminded of important changes this year in the syllabus of both subjects.
Michelle Field, head of the math department at Ascot High School in Portmore, St Catherine, said that instead of 11 questions on the second section of the math exam, the number has been reduced to 10.
"Being a marker, I know exactly what CSEC is looking for, so with that experience I looked at the overall components of the syllabus and how it has changed. The students no longer have a choice in section two. They are asked to do 10 questions now instead of 11. They will have to do the School Based Assessment component, which is 20 per cent of the overall grade. For the multiple choice, they will have vectors and matrices for the first time."
English tutor Rhonda Williams, also from Ascot High School, highlighted that her segment was geared towards improving the students' summary and narrative writing skills.
"I showed them how to deconstruct the content of the exam and showed them how to approach the summary section, explaining to them how it is graded and what the markers will be looking for. I showed them how to approach multiple-choice questions, and impressed upon them the importance of summary writing. The new component requires students to write letters to the editor. We looked at narrative stories, and they were quite enthused about the fact that they could make linkages to TV series they like to watch, like Power and Empire. I used those to bring out the idea of characterization, because that is a strong component of these drama series that they are in love with. That is also an important element that should come out in their stories."
The Wednesday, April 18 seminar was the final in the series of five. The others were at held in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland; Montego Bay, St James; Ocho Rios, St Ann; and Mandeville, Manchester.
The majority of the students said they have benefited from the seminar, emphasising that they gathered a lot of new information which they believe will prove helpful in the exams.
Deanna Brown (left) and Elewa Bryan of the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning, HEART Trust/NTA, was very happy to be part of the Youthlink CSEC workshop at The Mico University College.
overall components of the syllabus and how it has changed. The students no longer have a choice in section two. They are asked to do 10 questions now instead of 11. They will have to do the School Based Assessment component, which is 20 per cent of the overall grade. For the multiple choice, they will have vectors and matrices for the first time."
English tutor Rhonda Williams, also from Ascot High School, highlighted that her segment was geared towards improving the students' summary and narrative writing skills.
"I showed them how to deconstruct the content of the exam and showed them how to approach the summary section, explaining to them how it is graded and what the markers will be looking for. I showed them how to approach multiple-choice questions, and impressed upon them the importance of summary writing. The new component requires students to write letters to the editor. We looked at narrative stories, and they were quite enthused about the fact that they could make linkages to TV series they like to watch, like Power and Empire. I used those to bring out the idea of characterization, because that is a strong component of these drama series that they are in love with. That is also an important element that should come out in their stories."
The Wednesday, April 18 seminar was the final in the series of five. The others were held in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland; Montego Bay, St James; Ocho Rios, St Ann; and Mandeville, Manchester.
The majority of the students said they have benefited from the seminar, emphasising that they gathered a lot of new information which they believe will prove helpful in the exams.
